bdcforlife+itest

Exploration of Mars

** Exploration of Mars **

Was there flowing water on Mars? Was the Mars surface shaped by volcanoes, lava flows and Mars’ quakes? Is the atmosphere and temperature similar to Earths? These questions may be answered through the exploration and discoveries of the Mars missions. There were numerous exploration missions to Mars. Some of the most famous exploration missions were the Mariner 4, Mariner 9, Viking Lander 1 & 2, Mars Pathfinder, Mars Spirit Rover and Phoenix Lander. ** Mars Mission **

 The first mission to Mars was Mariner 4. Mariner 4 was sent in 1965 to pass by the planet. It was intended for planetary exploration. Mariner 4 performed the first successful flyby of the planet and returned the first pictures of the Martian surface. Mariner 4 was designed to conduct close up scientific observations of Mars and to transmit these observations to Earth. Scientists were ecstatic for the results to come back as they thought there was civilization on the planet. One of the scientists, who observed the planet, saw straight lines on it and believed there was some type of civilization of the planet. On December 21, 1967 communications with Mariner 4 were terminated. NASA could not connect to it anymore.  Mariner 9 was a NASA space orbiter that helped in the exploration of Mars and was part of the Mariner program. Mariner 9 was launched toward Mars on May 30, 1971 and it reached Mars on November 13, 1971. It was the first spacecraft to orbit another planet. After months of dust-storms, it managed to send back clear pictures of the surface. This mission was the first to find evidence of water on Mars. There was one picture that resembled a huge flowing river. This picture is called Mariner Valley. Mariner valley is named in honor of the Mariner 9 mission which took the picture. However, Mariner Valley was not eroded by water like the Grand Canyon. It was formed when liquid rock inside Mars bulged out which ripped opened the Mars surface. (See appendix for a picture of Mariner Valley.) The Viking program consisted of a pair of space probes sent to Mars, Viking 1 and Viking 2. Each space probe was composed of two main parts. The orbiter was designed to take photograph of the surface of Mars from orbit and the lander was designed to study the planet from the surface. The orbiters also served as communication relays for the landers once they touched down. The primary objectives of the Viking orbiters were to transport the landers to Mars, perform reconnaissance to locat landing sites, act as a communications relays for the landers, and to perform their own scientific investigations. The Viking Program was highly successful and collected most of the data about Mars. Viking Lander 1 was launched on August 20, 1975, and the second craft, Viking 2, was launched on September 9, 1975. The Viking Program was the first to search for life on Mars by conducting biology experiment of the soil. The soil resembled those produced from the weathering and lava flows. Mars has almost no ozone layer, unlike the Earth, so UV light sterilizes the surface and produces highly reactive chemicals that may lead to life. The Mars Pathfinder was launched on December 04, 1996 and reached the planet in 1997. Mars Pathfinder was designed to demonstrate the technology necessary to deliver a lander and a free-ranging robotic rover to the surface of Mars. The mission carried a series of scientific instruments to analyze the Martian atmosphere, climate, geology and the composition of its rocks and soil. As part of NASA’ long term Mars Exploration Program, the Mars Spirit Rover was launched toward Mars on June 10 2003, in search of answers about the history of water on Mars. It landed on Mars January 3, 2004. The Mars exploration mission found minerals formed by water and the rover mission also took many pictures of the Martian surface. On March 23, 2004, a news conference was held announcing "major discoveries" of evidence of past liquid water on the Martian surface. A delegation of scientists showed pictures and data revealing layered patterns and cross bedding in the rocks of the outcrop inside a crater. The irregular distribution of chlorine and bromine suggested that the place was once the shoreline of a salty sea now evaporated. (See appendix for image of the Mars Spirit Rover.)  Phoenix Lander was another robotic spacecraft used for the exploration mission of Mars. Phoenix Lander was part of the Mars Scout Program. The Phoenix Lander descended on Mars on May 25, 2008. Mission scientists used instruments aboard the lander to search for environments suitable for microbial life on Mars, and to research the history of water there. The Phoenix Lander was the first successful landing in a Martian polar region. After several unsuccessful attempts to reestablish communication, a picture of the lander taken from orbiter showed that one of Phoenix’s solar panels broke off and NASA could not give the space craft commands. ** Martian Surface **

All of the missions took pictures of Mars and made a complete mapping of the planet. These pictures lead to the discovery of the Mars’ ice caps, dormant volcanoes, craters and valleys. Mars has two permanent polar ice caps. During winter on Mars, the ice caps chill the surface and causing 30% of the atmosphere to reduce into thick slabs of CO2 ice. When the poles are again exposed to sunlight, the frozen CO2 melts, creating massive winds. These seasonal actions transport large amounts of dust and water vapor, giving rise to Earth-like frost and large clouds of water ice. (See appendix for picture of the Martian ice caps.) The Tharsis Bulge is an area of massive volcanoes. The head of the Tharsis Bulge is gigantic peak on Mars named Olympus Mons. Olympus Mons stands at fifteen miles above the Martian surface. It is three times as tall as Mount Everest and is the tallest known peak in the Solar System. Olympus Mons is the youngest of the large volcanoes on Mars. Olympus Mons had been known to astronomers since the late 19th century. Its mountainous nature was suspected well before space probes confirmed its identity as a mountain. The next part of the Tharsis Bulge is the three volcanoes directly south east of Olympus Mons. The volcanoes are Arsia Mons, Pavonis Mons and Ascraeus Mons. These volcanoes are the tallest known volcanoes in the solar system. (See appendix for picture of Olympus Mons and the Tharsis Bulge.) Mariner Valley is a system that runs along the Martian surface east of the Tharsis Region. At more than 2485 miles long, 124 mile wide and approximately 4 miles deep, the Mariner Valley rift system is the largest known canyon, surpassing all canyons on Earth. Mariner Valley is located along the equator of Mars and stretches for nearly a quarter of the planet’s circumference. Mariner Valley starts in the west, proceeds to the east, and then finally it ends on the plains of Mars. Most researchers agree that Mariner Valley is a large tectonic crack in the Martian crust that formed as the crust rose in the Tharsis Bulge to the west of the valley, and was subsequently widened by erosional forces. However, near the eastern sides of the rift there appear to be some channels that may have been formed by water or carbon dioxide. (See appendix for picture of Mariner Valley.) The Mars surface is covered with sand and dust and littered with rocks and boulders. The dust is occasionally picked during planet-wide dust storms. Mars dust is very fine and enough remains suspended in the atmosphere to give the sky a reddish shade. The reddish shade is due to rusting iron minerals formed a few billion years ago when Mars was warm and wet. Now that Mars is cold and dry, modern rusting may be due to minerals exposed to ultraviolet rays from sunlight. The sand is believed to move only slowly in the Martian winds due to the very low density of the atmosphere. In the past, liquid water flowing in gullies and river vallies may have shaped the Martian surface. Mars researchers are studying whether groundwater sapping is shaping the Martian rocks and whether carbon dioxide hydrates exist on Mars. It is believed that large quantities of water and carbon dioxide ices remain frozen within the rocks in the equatorial parts of Mars and on its surface at higher latitudes. ** Atmosphere and Temperatures **

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and has a different atmosphere from that of the Earth. The atmosphere of Mars is relatively thin. However, the scale height of the atmosphere is about 6.8 miles, somewhat higher than Earth's atmosphere at 4.3 miles. The atmosphere on Mars consists of 95.32% carbon dioxide, 3% nitrogen, 1.6% argon, and contains traces of oxygen, water, and methane. The atmosphere is quite dusty, giving the Martian sky its present color when seen from the surface. Although Mars is smaller than the Earth and farther from the Sun than the Earth, its climate has important similarities, such as the polar ice caps, seasonal changes and weather patterns. Although Mars's climate has similarities to Earth's, there are also important differences such as the absence of liquid water although frozen water exists.  The air temperature, however, rarely gets much above 32 Fahrenheit. The temperatures on the two Viking Landers, measured at approximately 5 feet above the surface, range from 1 degree Fahrenheit to -178 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the temperatures of the surface at the winter polar caps drop to -225 degrees Fahrenheit while the warmest soil occasionally reaches 81 degrees Fahrenheit. In 2004, the Mars Spirit rover recorded the warmest temperature around 41 degrees Fahrenheit and the coldest is 5 degrees Fahrenheit in the one of the craters. The extreme range of temperature on Mars is vastly different than Earth and is not suitable for life as we know it. ** Conclusion **

 The evidence obtained by the missions leads scientist to believe that there was flowing water on Mars and that the Mars landscape was shaped by lava flows and Mars’ quakes. Some of these pictures taken from the many missions to Mars gave evidence of what seemed like a melt in the ice caps, which suggests that there was flowing water like a river. Evidence also shows that there was lava flows on the surface and that the atmosphere and temperature of Mars is similar to Earth. These missions answered the questions; 1)   Was there flowing water on Mars?, 2)Was the Mars’ surface shaped by volcanoes, lava flows and Mars’ quakes? , and 3) Is the atmosphere and temperature similar to Earth’s?

** Appendix **

Mariner Valley || ** Description: ** || ** Source: ** || Olympus Mons || ** Description: ** || ** Source: ** ||
 * ** Picture 1: **
 * || <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">Science estimate that Mariner Valley has been shaped by lava flows and Mars Quakes || <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">http://ps2003.org/eng/v.php ||
 * ** Picture 2: **
 * ** Picture 2: **
 * || <span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">Side View:

<span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">Mars' Olympus Mons 3 x Height of Mount Everest-The Solar System's Most Massive Volcano standing 15 miles above the Martian surface || <span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">http://www.lookpictures.net/gallery/Space/1773/Mars-Olympus-mons-foggy-Wallpaper/ ||

<span style="font-family: Calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">Olympus Mons || ** Description: ** || ** Source: ** || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Olympus Mons is 600 km across its base and about 25 km above the surrounding plain. || <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 3.75pt; margin-top: 3.75pt;">http://www.uhh.hawaii.edu/~csav/gallery/decker/mars_olympus_mons.php || <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">Tharsis Bulge || ** Description: ** || ** Source: ** || <span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">Northern Polar Caps || ** Description: ** || ** Source: ** || <span style="font-family: Calibri; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">Southern Polar Cap Of Mars || ** Description: ** || ** Source: ** ||
 * ** Picture 3 **
 * || <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Top View:
 * ** Picture 4 **
 * ** Picture 4 **
 * || <span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">The Tharsis Bulge is an area that contains Olympus Mons, Arsia Mons, Pavonis Mons, and Ascraeus Mons || <span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap990618.html ||
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">**Picture 4**
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">**Picture 4**
 * || <span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">The following image and animation show the Northern Ice Caps. || <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/MRO/multimedia/pia13163.html ||
 * ** Picture 5 **
 * ** Picture 5 **
 * || <span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">The following image and animation show the Southern Ice Caps. || <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/multimedia/images/2005/marscap.html ||

<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">Mars Spirit Rover || <span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">** Description: ** || <span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">** Source: ** ||
 * ** Picture 6 **
 * ** Picture 6 **
 * || <span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"> The Mars Spirit Rover is part of NASA's Long-term Mars Exploration Program || <span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"> http://www .nasa.gov/mission_page/mer/ ||
 * ** Picture 7 Evidence of flowing water ** || <span style="font-family: Calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -0.3pt;">** Description: ** || <span style="font-family: Calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">** Source: ** ||
 * || <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -0.3pt;"> This is a before and after picture of flowing water. || []  ||
 * ** Picture 8 Evidence of flowing water ** || <span style="font-family: Calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -0.3pt;">** Description: ** || <span style="font-family: Calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">** Source: ** ||
 * || <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">A before and after picture of flowing water || <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mars/news/mgs-20061206.html ||
 * ** Picture 8 Evidence of flowing water ** || <span style="font-family: Calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -0.3pt;">** Description: ** || <span style="font-family: Calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">** Source: ** ||
 * || <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">A before and after picture of flowing water || <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mars/news/mgs-20061206.html ||

** Bibliography **

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